My master is staying away a long time…

It’s been so long, I begin to forget his face, his voice, his desires.

He left to prepare a place for me in his kingdom, but I sometimes wonder when he intends to return.

Another year has passed, and another watch is being retired tonight. It has oscillated away the cycles that were allotted to it. Somewhere in it’s little digital heart it is breathing a sigh of relief knowing that it has completed its mission. I say to my constant companion over the last year “well done, good and faithful servant”. In all my travels and travails it was an ever present reminder of what time it is.

As it traveled with me, it was used to take the pulse of many Haitians who came to the medical clinic on our last day in Haiti.

When in Nicaragua it told us how Robin’s heart was doing after she fell and broke her wrist. Those scary moments when she didn’t respond to us were measured by its unchanging tempo…

This watch felt the excitement in the hearts of the people who anxiously watched the Vatican chimney for news of the next pope.

It was with me as I heard a whole country unite around the events at the end of a long race. As people’s homes were searched for a fugitive, and many families were changed forever in the aftermath of the heat and smoke and steel.

1,000,000 children have fled Syria and 100,000 Syrian lives were stopped short while this watch ticked away. This simple watch continues, when so many souls do not. My heart longs to help those who are left.

Now that my watch has finished what it was sent for, it’s final mission is taking the pulse of the man who wore it this last year.

With every cycle it was asking this man “are you ready?”

With every breath I whisper back “yes, help me with my unreadiness”.

I only ask my master that I may finish the race set out for me in the time I have left.

For those who have ran beside me in this section of the race, thank you for sharing your strength, your passion, your courage. Let us press forward towards the finish line.

My master has been away for a long time. Maybe tonight he will return…I pray he finds me ready.

You can read last years post at http://www.joshuastairhime.com/?p=50